Black Hawk Select Stout

So this was that second beer from the Mendocino Brewing Co. that I referred to in my previous post (part of the "build your own" that Adam got me.)  I have to say that I was a little disappointed.  I actually liked the Blue Heron Pale Ale better, which is odd because I really like stouts better than pale ales.

The Black Hawk was just a little too light.  I was expecting a little more flavor.  It reminded me a lot of Guinness Black Lager.  Just like the flavor, the ABV of 5.2%, was a little weak as well.  At least this beer was "easy drinkin."

The Black Hawk wasn't a bad beer.  I just have come to expect more from a stout.......especially a "select stout."  So far, the Mendocino Brewing Co. is batting .500 in my book.

Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale‏--JT's Review

Once again, Shawn challenges me in my beer tasting. I am not a big fan of Anchor beers, but Shawn brought over their Christmas Ale. Of course I tried it, for as much as anything, because of intrigue for the story.

Anchor has been making this seasonal for 37 years and changing the recipe every year. It is only sold from November to mid January. As I embarked on my first Anchor Christmas Ale, it dawned on me that it might take me from December to January to finish it.

It wasn't bad beer at all, but it was dark, heavy, and thick as hell. I would classify this more as a holiday porter than an ale, but there were enough hops in the finish to make one think of an ale. I was surprised that it only had a 5.5% ABV.

This is definitely a slow drinking beer. Once I got my arms around that, it was ok.

Blue Heron Pale Ale

This was another selection from the "build your own" six pack that my buddy Adam hooked me up with.  It is from the Mendocino Brewing Co. out of Saratoga Springs, NY.

When it comes to pale ales, I am no expert.  I really don't rush out to purchase them because they tend to be a little hoppy for my taste ( but not as bad as IPA's).  This one wasn't that bad.  It still had the hoppy flavor, but it wasn't over the top.  The beer was "medium bodied," and it had a real good citrus bite which I liked.  I also liked the 6.1% ABV! 

This was the first beer that I have had from the Mendocino Brewing Co. ...... not too shabby.  I have another one of their selections in my fridge.  Looking forward to busting it out shortly.

Sudwerk Doppel Bock‏--JT's Review

Just about everything that I have had from Sudwerk has been really good! There Doppel Bock was no exception. I assume that this is a seasonal, but it wasn't even listed on their website. I found it on the build your own isle at Macadoodle's in Springdale.

It is a strongly malted bock beer with a ton of great flavor. The malts were strong and prevalent, and then there was a solid sweet chocolate flavor. The tone was a combination of toasted malts and sweet chocolate. The hops were a little more involved that I would have liked, but not too much. At a very solid 8% ABV, it turned out to be a winner!

During the cold of winter, I am learning to really enjoy these thick strong seasonals.
 

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

I guess this is the second beer that I have tried from the North Coast Brewing Co.  This came from the "build your own" six pack that my buddy Adam brought me.

Let me just say that this might be the thickest and blackest beer that I have ever had.  I am not saying that is a bad thing.  To say that this is a sipping beer would be an understatement.  I felt like I was sipping on some good ole' bourbon (pretty close with its 9.0% ABV).

This beer is a Russian Imperial Stout.  Yet another classification that I was unaware of.  The Russians do a little more than just your mom's vodka!  I have learned this through this beer and through our huge Russian following on this blog.  Russians love their beer too.

This was an enjoyable beer to me.  I would probably only drink it in the winter time and mainly after meals.  The number I could drink would vary on the size of the meal I just had, and whether or not I was traveling afterward (Remember 9.0%).  If you like a good sweet meal in a bottle, give this one a shot.  If I can find it, I would love to give it another try.

Mother's Three Blind Mice Brown Ale‏--JT's Review

This is another selection that Shawn brought home from Springfield. It was very good also. I really like Brown Ale's a lot, and Mother's version of English Brown Ale didn't disappoint at all.

It is pretty dark when you pour it in a glass, but the flavor was surprisingly light and easy to drink. It was really malty with a taste of caramel and chocolate. The hops were a little dry and very subtle, so it finished smoothly.

This is another beer that you have got to sample if you get the chance. I think I like it more than the Towhead, which I thought was great.

Mother's Towhead American Blond‏--JT's Review

My neighbor, and drinking buddy Shawn discovered Mother's Brewing Company. What an excellent find!!! It is based out of Springfield, Missouri, and I think is less than a year old. He recently made the trip north and brought back some of their beer.

Towhead American Blonde is the first one that I tried. It is outstanding. It has a really fresh light taste, but it is full of flavor. There seems to be a low hops content, and it is just a little bitter before a really smooth finish. At 5.2% ABV, it is pretty solid for being so light.

As far as I can tell from their website, it is only sold in Springfield. I hope that it makes its way south very soon! The next time you are in that area, it is a must try.

St. Arnold's Christmas Ale‏--JT's Review

Props to my sister-in-law for a great Christmas present! From her last trip to Texas, she brought me a box of St. Arnold's Christmas Ale. I am a huge St. Arnold's fan. This is the 4th of their beers that I have reviewed, and like the ones before it, I liked it a lot!

For the avid ale drinker, it might not be the best choice, but for me it was really good. It was a light flavored, smooth, easy to drink beer. The malts were mild but good. There was an excellent mixture of brewing spices followed by a nice lightly hopped finish.

If you are in Texas(Hog fans for the Cotton Bowl) before the winter season is over, this is a good selection to try!

Bitch Creek Extra Special Brown‏--JT's Review

My neighbor Shawn and I had a very solid beer sampling over supper tonight. I decided to start with my favorite beer of the night from Grand Teton Brewing Company in Victor, Idaho.

As most of you know, I really like brown ale's. This was one of the most flavorful ones I have had. I was first attracted to the name, but the beer was great too. It was very malty, with a sweet flavor. The hops were very prevalent, but they had a sweet smooth finish too that made it really good. If I had a complaint, it would only be that it was a little too strong to drink very many of them at once because it was fairly heavy.

Bitch Creek was a brown ale that a six pack would last a while, but it did have an excellent flavor. At 6.0% ABV it is a good way to start the night. If you run into the chance to get some of these, I recommend giving it a try.

Old No.38 Stout

So I have a buddy named Adam who lives in a wet county in a different part of the state.  He is a fellow beer lover and supporter of this hobby/blog.  Adam's beer store has the "build your own" six pack like the other stores that we mention.  It seems, however, that his store has a different selection than the ones that JT and I frequent.  This beer, along with some others that I will review, came from Adam's location.

The Old No.38 Stout is from the North Coast Brewing Co., which is located in Fort Bragg, CA.  Before I get to the beer let me just say that it has a very cool bottle/label, and a cool back story to its name (it explains it on the label and website.) 

This beer is classified as a Dublin Dry Stout.  Of course, I didn't even know that there was such a classification.  Once again, I learned something............through drinking beer!  I am a fan of stouts.  So it makes sense that I enjoyed this stout.  It was nice and rich with a decent 5.5% ABV.  It had all the coffee/chocolate notes that I like in a stout.  There was a good clean finish that didn't linger too long.  Just a good solid stout with some awards to back it up (Gold Medal in the 2003 World Beer Championships in Chicago.)  Every stout lover should give this one a try.

Schlafly Christmas Ale‏--JT's Review

I think it has become apparent that Brian and I both like Schlafly's beer. I, however, am not a big fan of the Ale's. I am in the Christmas spirit though, so at an ugly sweeter party the other night when my neighbor Shawn brought over some Shlafly Christmas Ale, I felt obliged to give it a try.

It turned out to be pretty good. I think that they do a great job brewing beer, and they made their seasonal ale very well. It was very heavily spiced, which isn't always for me. However, it was a great mix. The malts were strong and had a flavor of caramel. There were a little more hops than I would have preferred, but it was to be expected in an American Style Christmas Ale. What really tipped the scales was the 8% ABV!

This wasn't the kind of beer that I would want to sit around and drink all night, but it was good. I'm glad I tried it, and I will always include it in holiday celebrations.

Mustang Winter Lager‏--JT's Review

I hate to get carried away with my new found love affair with the Mustang Brewing Company in Mustang, Oklahoma, but I haven't had one of their beers that I didn't really like! Their Winter Lager is outstanding.

I hate that it is a seasonal, because it might be the best winter seasonal that I have had this year.

There is no doubt that it has the Mustang "stamp" on it (which I no doubt like). It is a smooth, easy to drink lager that has a great blend of malts followed by a nice easy hop finish.

I bought it in a sampler six pack, and I hope to get more before they run out. It was excellent!

Schlafly Kolsch Ale‏--JT's Review

Here is an ale that I really liked. This is another great beer from the Schlafly brand of beer. The Kolsch style originated in the early 1900's in western Germany. Schlafly won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup in 2010 for their version of German-style Kolsch.

It poured nicely into a glass with a moderate head and was light in color. Neither the malts or the hops were too strong. It was just a really good clean smooth drinking beer.

I would classify this beer as a "drink all day" beer. I really liked it and my only hope is that Schlafly will soon be sold in Arkansas.

Shiner Holiday Cheer

My wife and some of her friends always complain that I never give a bad beer review on this blog.  My response to her/them is always the same, "I like beer......pretty much all beer."  Well get ready, here comes a bad review.

If you have read my reviews of Shiner beers, you know that I am a big fan of the Spoetzl Brewery.  That is why it pains me to give this poor review.

Shiner Holiday Cheer is an amber wheat ale with a 5.4% ABV.  So far so good.  It is brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans.........there's the kicker.  This combination just doesn't work.  The taste is a little too sweet with the artificial tasting peach and pecan flavors.  I would rather smell this beer than drink it.  In fact, it was a chore to actually finish this beer.  But I did finish it ...........because I am not a quitter.  However, I did not finish the whole six pack because there was a little accident.  I was taking the sixer out to my beer fridge in the garage when I accidentally dropped the beer.  As a result, three beers were destroyed.  It was not the first time that I have done this, but I think that it was the first time that I really wasn't that upset.  The only thing that upset me was that I had to mop up beer on my floor.

So there you have it.  A bad review of a beer, and one from a brewery that I really like!  I don't like bad beer reviews........hopefully these are few and far between.  Maybe the silver lining is that now my wife and her friends will get off my back for a while.

Sam Adams Holiday Porter‏--JT's Review

It is getting to be the time of year where I am getting into the holiday spirit. Sam Adams always has good seasonal beer, so I decided to try the Holiday Porter.

I thought it was ok. It is definitely not one that you should expect to drink a six pack in one sitting. It was malty and had a good flavor, but it was HEAVY...I had one before supper one night, and I almost couldn't clean my plate(those of you that know me know that is a rare thing). The finish was a little hoppy for me, but I'm glad I tried it. The ABV is 5.8%, which was a little lower than I thought it would be.

This is one of those beers that could certainly help with holiday weight gain, but overall it wasn't bad.

Schlafly Winter ESB

I will try any and every Schlafly beer........especially if it is a seasonal.  Well, we are in the winter months so why wouldn't I try the Schlafly "winter ale?" 

I really didn't notice the "ESB" when I bought the six pack.  ESB stands for "Extra Special Bitter."  I became really nervous.  I try to avoid beers that are bitter.

This beer poured the color of a pale ale........not what I expected of a "winter ale."  Then I smelled it.  I got even more nervous because it smelled mostly of hops. 

The first thing that I tasted was hops......but it lasted just a bit...........and then disappeared.  It then turned malty.  The label says rye flakes are added to balance the flavor and add some body.  Whatever it is..........I LIKE!  I also like the 5.8% ABV.

In conclusion, this beer is legit...and a little deceptive.  It doesn't really look or smell like a winter ale, but who cares.  I will drink it in the winter time because it is good.  Nice curveball Schlafly!!

Brekenridge Oatmeal Stout‏--JT's Review

Ten years ago I would have never tried this beer. I guess my tastes have matured to where it is really good to me now.

Breckenridge Brewery is in Denver, and was founded in 1990 by Richard Squire. All he wanted to do was ski and drink beer, which I find to be a noble way to spend time. He lived in Colorado, so he just had to find a way to make money at drinking. Natural he opened a brewery.

His Oatmeal Stout is very similar to a coffee stout. There is a definite tone of coffee but also some chocolate flavoring. It is really dark, but surprisingly only has an ABV of 4.95.

I thought it was a great beer, but it wasn't one that you could drink on all day. Its worth a try for sure, but a sixer should last you a while.

Boulevard Nut Cracker Ale‏--JT's Review

If you are a frequent reader of our reviews, you know by now that I am not a huge fan of really hoppy ale's, but I am a pretty big fan of Boulevard beer out of Kansas City. I saw their holiday winter ale, and I couldn't resist.

Their web site says that it is Boulevard's holiday gift for the real beer drinker. I consider myself a real beer drink who also enjoys gifts. As it turns out, it was a nice gift.

The taste was really sweet initially followed by a toasty malt flavor. There was a little too much of the bitterness from the hops that I usually don't like, but it had enough brewing spices to offset it so that I could enjoy it.

I wouldn't characterize it as my favorite holiday seasonal, but I did drink all six of the ones I bought the night I got it(minus the one my neighbor drank). It wasn't bad at all.

Schlafly Pilsner

I have stated before that I am a big fan of Schlafly beer.  This Pilsner is no exception.  It is a very very solid beer.  If you are a fan of Schlafly, then you probably already know what I'm talking about.

This review will be short and sweet.  The Pilsner is a light colored, easy drinking beer.  This is a beer that could help you do some all day power drinking.  It has a 5.0% ABV, so you will get some bang for your buck. 

This is a beer for any occasion and any season.  Give it a shot.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

Arcadia Sky High Rye

This beer is brewed by the Arcadia Brewing Co. in Battle Creek, MI.  This is the second Arcadia brew that I have sampled (the first being their Jaw Jacker pumpkin ale.

This beer is described as a "West Coast Style" pale ale with rye malt.  It is a hazy yellow/orange brew with a 6.0% ABV.  At first taste you really taste citrus/floral and hops.  It was hoppy, but not over the top (I am not a "hop head"). The more you drink this beer, the better it gets.  It has a relatively clean finish.  I say that because it didn't have all that "hopness" lingering in the back of my throat.  Will I buy this beer again??  Probably not.  It is still a little too hoppy for my taste and a little too expensive at over $9.00 a six pack.

NATTY DADDY Lager‏--JT's Review

Let me start this review by saying that I am not too good to drink Natural Light. As a matter of fact, it was the first beer I ever tasted, so it holds a special place in my heart. The Natty Daddy held a special place in my headache this morning. It was not very good.

I saw it the other day in Macadoodels and felt obligated to give it a try. I bought a 24 ounce can of it and split it 3 ways with my neighbor Shawn and my brother. My brother quickly poured his portion into my glass.

I had a really strong metallic taste, but otherwise, not much taste at all. The can says " brewed with Natural Light's all-natural ingredients". It is 8% ABV, so you can get a solid bang for the dollar and four cents that it costs.

This is a beer that might be good after you have had a 12 pack or so, and you really can't taste very much anyway. If you go down that road, I would advise you to take your favorite headache medicine and have a large glass of water before bed.

Boddingtons Pub Ale‏--JT's Review

It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a Boddingtons. I picked up a couple at Macadoodle's in the 2 for 2 dollar deal. What a great set up!

The taste of the beer was good, and I will get to that in a second. Before I do, I want to cover the pouring directions on the can as they relate to the droughtflow system. What it is, is a bobber that inside the can that looks like what one would put on a fishing line(I tore the can open to look at it) . The intent is to help put air in the beer as you pour it.

I didn't see any real benefit to having it, but I still like the beer. It is a creamy flavored ale that is lightly carbonated. The head was strong as I poured it, and it seemed a little flat, but the flavor was solid. It wasn't too heavy, and had a nice smooth finish.

Boddingtons makes a good beer. It leaves a little to be desired, but if you get it at the right price, go for it. Its pretty solid

Mustang Washita Wheat‏--JT's Review

The Mustang Brewing Company really has a good thing going. Earlier I reviewed their Harvest Lager. It was awesome! Their wheat beer is better!

The taste is pretty sweet, but it definitely has the wheat overtone. There is a little bit of a citrus mixed in before it finishes smoothly with a light quick shot of hops. It was really easy to drink.

I like wheat beers, but I haven't ever been one to drink more than 2 or 3 before I switched back over to "Old Faithful". This is a wheat beer that I could drink all day long.

Ommegang Witte

I love "wit" or "Belgian white" beers.  I know that they are more of a summer beer, but who cares.  And when they are just a dollar each..........you have to take advantage.

The Ommegang Brewery is located in Cooperstown, NY.  I would love to venture up there some summer and drink a bunch of these and go visit the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This beer tastes like your typical wit.  It has lots of citrus citrus, coriander, orange peel, unmalted wheat, spices, etc.  The Witte is extremely light with a 5.1% ABV.  It has no real aftertaste and finishes real clean.  Not the best wit I have ever had, but still enjoyable........even in the winter months.

(Now for JT's Review:)

Ommegang is a Belgium Witbier, and it is really really good! I bought it at Macadoodle's in a 2 for 2 dollar deal, and I wish I could have gotten more of it.

Brewery Ommegang is in Cooperstown, New York, which instantly drew me to it, as I am a huge baseball fan. I hope some day to visit the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and swing by to have some fresh Witte off tap at their brewery. It is a young brewery having opened in 1997, but it already has 3 breers that have meddled at the World Beer Competitions(another place I'd really like to visit).

It is fairly light and very smooth. It has a taste of citrus that isn't too strong. The malts are also soft and light too, but still prevalent enough to have some good flavor. The hops finish surprisingly smoothly. It has a solid 5.1% ABV. I can't wait for these to come around again next summer as it is one of their summer seasonal brews. If you see it, it is a must try!

Dog and Pony Amber--JT's Review

I have made new friend threw my job named Brian Sorensen. He works at Saatchi and Saatchi X in Fayetteville. Brian is a home brewer and knows infinitely more about beer than I do. I am very humbled to review his work. Today we had a meeting and he shared a bottle of his latest work(I wish everyone I did business with gave me beer). I am not sure that my review can do justice as to how good this beer is.

Brian told me to wait a week or so before I drank it. He said it needed a little more time to mellow the hops out. I couldn't help myself. I cracked it open as soon as I got home.

The beer was very smooth. There is a rich taste of malts that is followed by a sweet light caramel taste. The finish was a perfectly hopped. They were light and smooth and it went down very easily.

Unfortunately for Brian, I will probably drop by his office every time I drive by to see if he has a spare bottle of his amber brew laying around. This would be a big seller if he had it in a liquor store. Sorry that you guys can't buy this, but take my word for it. It was awesome!

Cooper's Sparkling Ale‏--JT's Review

I have to admit that I was not excited to get this beer home and try it, but I couldn't resist buying it because it was in a 2 for 2 dollars tub at Macadoodle's. I usually don't like Ale's, and the idea of a sparkling ale wasn't very appealing to me at all. It made me feel like the guy at the register was going to ask me to turn in my man card at the point of purchase.

The Cooper Brewery is in South Australia, and has been in operation since 1862. The Sparkling Ale is considered to be an English Pale Ale. It has an ABV of 5.8 %. They leave a little sediment in the bottle almost like an unfiltered wheat beer.

The taste wasn't like a normal ale. It was a little tart initially, followed by a chase of citrus and then a strong bite at the end that I credit to the very high carbonation.

It was pretty good; at least much better than I would have expected. I don't think I could drink a six pack in one sitting because of how sweet it is, but it was a good change of pace. It struck me as the kind of beer that if you drank them all night, you would have an incredible hang over, but a few would be ok.

St. Pauli Girl Special Dark

I have to admit, it has been a while since I have had any St. Pauli Girl.  I like dark editions of select beers, so I figured I would give it a try.  I might have been inspired also by JT's review of Heineken Dark.

This 4.8% ABV lager was not that bad.  It mainly tasted like a robust version of St. Pauli Girl......which I like better than the original.  It is worth trying and I am glad I bought it. 

Will I buy it again?  Probably not.  I say this because of the price.  Maybe it was just my beer store, but paying over $8.00 a six pack just didn't make cents (see what I did there) to me.

Heineken Dark Lager‏--JT's Review

I usually try to drink and review beers that maybe you have seen, but weren't sure about trying. It dawned on me while I was beer shopping the other day, that in all the beer I have drank, I haven't ever tried Heineken's dark lager. I like Heineken pretty well, so I decided to give it a shot.

It wasn't a bad selection at all. It definitely had the "Heineken stamp" on it, but it had a good malty flavor and a smooth finish. It has a middle of the road ABV at 5.1%.

There are quit a few beers out there that I would prefer, but this one was ok. I will drink it again.

Crown Valley Antique Amber Ale‏--JT's Review

Crown Valley Brewing is in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. If my memory is correct, this is the first one of their beers that I have had. It was outstanding!!! I love amber beers and I love lagers, so this was the perfect combination for me.

The malts had a great roasted flavor and then transitioned into a sweet taste. The hops were just about right as it finished smoothly. The aftertaste lingered just about the right amount of time.

I would say that this is one of the better beers that I have had in a while. I can't wait to get back and get a twelve pack or two of it. This is a must try if you see it at the store.

Shiner Double Wheat 102‏--JT's Review

I usually like wheat beer ok, and I usually like Shiner beer, so it made since to try their double wheat. I thought it was pretty good in a B+ kind of way.

It was surprisingly fruity to me, but in a good way. it went down relatively smoothly and had a nice bite at the end. I'm not sure if it my taste or my expectations, but I wanted a little more out of it. However it is hard to bitch about a 6.2% ABV beer.

At the end of the day, I liked it just fine, I just wished it had a little more to it.

Schlafly Coffee Stout

As I have made it known before, I really like the beers made by this brewery in St. Louis.  But, I will be honest, I didn't know if I would like this one.  I had not tried a coffee stout(of any brand) before. 

This particular one is brewed with St. Louis' own Kaldi's coffee and combined with the Schlafly Oatmeal Stout.  For someone that doesn't really drink coffee I really enjoyed this beer.  Like most stouts, you just can't sit back and pound these bad boys.  But, this brew makes a great after dinner beer or just a beer to sip on in this cold weather.  This beer has made me a fan of the coffee stout.......and who knows......maybe even coffee.  If I wouldn't get fired from my job, I could see myself starting my day with this.  Maybe I should move to Germany.......where that kind of thing is acceptable.

Mexican Logger

This was the second brew that I have tried from the Ska Brewing Co.(Durango, CO)  The first one was the True Blonde Ale, which was great!  This Mexican style lager was just pretty good.

Mexican Logger is light (4.2% ABV) and has, in my opinion, just a hint of the "Mexican" style flavor.  I don't know how much this beer costs in a regular six pack or in bottles because I got it as part of a "build your own" sixer for just $6.00.  So, for $1.00 it was a great purchase.  However, I don't know if that would be the case if it cost any more than that.

Troubadour Blonde Ale‏--JT's Review

I really had no idea what I was getting when I put this beer in a sampler pack the other night. It has a cool bottle, it is brewed by Brouwerij De Musketiers (which I can't even pronounce), and it is 6.8 ABV. Why wouldn't I try it?

It is considered a Belgian Pale Ale, but it was pretty dark when I poured it in a glass. The taste was all over the place. The malts were very sweet, almost like cane sugar, followed by a taste of orange and then pineapple. The after taste comes quickly with strong hops that disappeared almost as soon as you started to taste them.

This was different than anything I have ever had before, but not bad, just different.

Samuel Adams Black and Brew Coffee Stout‏--JT's Review

I love coffee and I love beer. I have to be honest in saying that I didn't ever think I would like the two together. My neighbor Shawn got a Sam Adams sampler pack that had this coffee stout in it.

It tasted like coffee with chocolate and fruit mixed in with a really dark beer. Those are flavors that I wouldn't have ever thought to go together and be good, but they were.

Be warned, if you have one before supper, you may not have room for food, but it would make for a great dessert. At 5.8% ABV, you get your moneys worth too. This was another good seasonal by Sam Adams!

Levity Amber Ale‏--JT's Review

Odell Brewing Company was started in 1989 in Fort Collins, Colorado. the best I can remember, this is the first time that I have had one of their beers. I'm usually a pretty big fan of Amber Ale's as long as they aren't too hoppy.

Levity Amber Ale was right on the fence for me. The taste of the malts was great! The hops were almost too strong and hung around in the after taste a little longer than I wanted them too. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. I did like that it had a 5.1 % ABV.

For my tastes, it was ok, but there are too many great beers out there for it to be just ok.

Tommyknocker Alpine Glacier Pilsner Lager

This is yet another Tommyknocker beer from yet another "build your own" six packs.  As you can see, this is similar to the other Tommyknocker beers as far as the great cartoonish labeling.  Unfortunately, if you get on their website you will see that they have actually changed their beer labels a bit.  I feel that the change was a definite downgrade.  Don't worry, this will not affect my review of this brew.

As with the other Tommyknocker beers that I have tried, I was not disappointed with this lager.  It fit the characteristics of any good lager with the added plus of a 5.1% ABV.  I could see myself drinking the Glacier all day long.........until the 5.1 kicked in.

I will continue to buy this beer if it remains just $1.00/beer at my local "build your own" sixer store.  Unfortunately, I will just have to imagine the little Tommyknocker guy climbing the ice on the label.

Spaten Premium Lager‏--JT's Review

The Spaten lager was part of a sampler that I picked up at Macadoodle's in Springdale. It was a good lighter lager. It would be considered a Munich Style Lager and its website claims that it is the 1st light lager in the world as they started brewing it in 1894. They also say that the brewery itself opened in 1397.

The taste was actually very light, especially since it is 5.2 % ABV. My thing is this: it is a good beer, that would be suitable for a lot of different occasions. Unfortunately, it is not 10.00 a six pack good.

I'm glad I tried it, and I don't mind to pay 10.00 for a six pack. I just need a little more when I do.

Boulevard Zon‏--JT's Review

Boulevard Zon is the summer seasonal from Boulevard. This would likely explain it being on sale in November. Never the less it was still pretty good. I credit my neighbor Shawn and of course Brian, for pushing me into trying so many of these seasonal beers. I have always liked different beers, but I haven't ever gotten into this broad a range. Boulevard, Sam Adams, and Leinenkugels all do a really good job with their seasonal beer.

The Zon looks just like a summer beer when you pour it into a glass. It is considered a Belgian Wit beer. It is light and has a fruity taste with any easy low level hop finish.

I got it at the wrong time of year, but it was still good. It just made me with it was still summer.

Saint Arnold Brown Ale‏--JT's Review

This is the third different Saint Arnold beer that I have tried. It like the other two was really good. Brown Ale's are a little hit or miss for me, but this one was defiantly a hit. My sister in law is heading to see family in Texas this weekend, and I'm hoping that she can find more Saint Arnold's and bring back for me.
 
As you would expect, the beer is a dark brown color. It had a strong mixture of malts. It tasted like it had a little bit of a chocolate flavor. The finish is easy as the hops are not to strong. It didn't have that really hoppy ale finish.
 
Saint Arnold's Brewery is doing a great job. I'm a huge fan of their work!

True Blonde Ale

Once again, "build your own" sixer.  This too cost just one American dollar.  And let me tell you, it was one of the best dollars that I have ever spent!

This beer comes from the Ska Brewing Co. from Durango, CO.  Durango is a great place......from what I have heard...........and this beer just solidifies that claim! 

As you can hopefully see, this beer is somewhat medium bodied.  But what I really liked about it was the full flavor.  I really couldn't put my finger on what I liked best.  All I know is that this beer is relatively easy drinking and PACKED full of flavor.  It is one of those beers that I couldn't put down.  I wish I had a full six pack so that I could give it a "true" review.........if you know what I mean.  By the way, 5.3% ABV.

Victory Prima Pils

This was the first time that I had tried (or heard of) a Victory Prima Pils.  This beer comes from the Victory Brewery in Downingtown, PA.  There is a great story on the website on how the brewery was founded.  Basically it was by two guys who met on the school bus in fifth grade. 

As for the beer, it was basically a little too hoppy for my taste.  They say that it is brewed in "the tradition of great pilsners of Europe."  Don't get me wrong, it was not a bad beer.  It was a little cloudy, which I like, and fairly easy drinking.  If you are one that likes his/her beer with a kick of hops, then this might be a great selection.

Overall, I am glad I tried this beer.  It was from a "build your own" six pack, and it only cost a dollar............which is hard to beat, and it has a very respectable ABV of 5.3% . 

Leinenkugels Fireside Nut Brown‏--JT's Review

I made a Sunday beer run to Macadoodle's in Missouri, with my brother, and found the Fireside Nut Brown on the build your own six pack isle. It turned out to be awesome!

It is a dark amber color when poured in a glass and has a thick foamy head. It had a really full flavor, but it wasn't too strong. There was a light taste of hazelnut in the malts followed by a soft hoppy finish.

I really liked it a lot. I reminded me of a combination of a Oktoberfest and a malty lager. I thought it was really good, and I'm looking forward to drinking it again.

Goose Island Mild Winter‏--JT's Review

I have always enjoyed Goose Island beer. As I posted earlier in my Honker's Ale review, I had it for the first time while working in Chicago. Obviously, they weren't serving seasonal winter beer in the summer. I ran into the "Mild Winter" as part of a sampler pack while on a Sunday beer run to Macadoodle's in Missouri.

I don't know if it made a difference or not, but on the bottle it said serve in a Willi glass, so I did. I thought the beer was really good. It was a dark brown from the pour with a nice foamy head. The malts gave it a caramel flavor followed by a hint of brewing spices. The finish was mild and smooth.

As the weather cools off, this is a solid choice if you are into a good seasonal.

1554 Enlightened Black Ale

This black ale is from the New Belgium Brewing Co.  I would have to say that I have started liking New Belgium brews more and more.

As for this beer, it was not my favorite black ale of all time, but there are a bunch more worse than this.  The 1554 was nice and malty, but they didn't over do it with the chocolate malts.  Probably the best thing I discovered was the 5.6% ABV. 

Overall........good beer.  I would probably buy it again.  I would really like to try this beer from the tap!!

Sam Adams Chocolate Bock‏--JT's Review



photo courtesy of http://www.dailybeerreview.com/2011/01/samuel-adams-chocolate-bock.html

 My good friend, and excellent beer drinking friend Shawn brought over a seasonal box of Sam Adams the other night. Ten years ago, I would have never dreamed of trying a Chocolate Bock. I really enjoyed this beer a lot. The bocks, tend to fit my tastes, and this one was perfect!

We poured them in a glass, and held them up to the light. No light came through at all. At one time that would have been a big turn off for me. The malts jump out at you at the first sip. There is a quick dash of citrus, and then chocolate follows in the finish. It was outstanding.

It is no doubt a sipping beer, but very good none the less.

Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)

OK, I did it.  I bought a $13.00 bottle of beer.  As you can see, it is actually bigger than a normal bottle.  I have been curious of this beer for a while, but I couldn't force myself to spend the money.  Thanks to this blog, I felt like it was my duty to make the purchase.......for you guys!!

Not only was this a drinking experience.....it was somewhat of a history lesson.  The label on the bottle gives you the background on how/why/when/where this beer is made.  It involves monks in an abbey in Belgium..........and the revenue from the beer goes to their charitable works.  There is also a little pamphlet that comes on the bottle that tells you how to drink the beer (what temp/what type of glass to drink from.)

So how was the beer???  It was very interesting.  As you can see, it is dark but not black.  There is a lot going on with this brew.  The one word I would use to describe this beer is RICH.  It was like drinking a very flavorful dark loaf of bread.  It was my liquid dinner.....with a kick (9% ABV).  All I can say is everyone should at least try this beer once.  I feel like each person might taste something different.

Was this beer worth the money?  Who knows.  I am glad I bought and tried it.  Will I buy it again?  Probably not.  Just because this was a "one and done" beer doesn't mean it was bad. 

Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale‏--JT's Review

This is about the time of year that I go into a phase of winter seasonal beer drinking. I like to try all of the different brands seasonal brews. The Winter Abbey Ale was surprisingly good!

I like Blue Moon beer. I was a little skeptical of their seasonal winter ale, however, Joe at "The Bottle" said it was a good selection, and he was right. The malts had a nice roasted taste, followed by a sweet caramel/brown sugar, and ending with a wheaty hop flavor at the end that was smooth.

For lack of a better way to put it, I felt like I got a lot of beer in this one. The taste was long and good. I will have more of these from November to January when they stop the winter ale production.

Shiner Bohemian Black Lager

I was a little disappointed in this beer.  It, by no means, is a bad beer!  I was just expecting a little more.  The Shiner original is very flavorful, so I figured the Black Lager would follow suit.....not really the case.  I try to compare all the black/dark lagers that I have had.  This one was just pretty good.  I was expecting more flavor.....something like Guinness Black Lager or Abita Turbo Dog.

If you get a chance, go to the Shiner website.  I was amazed by all the different beers that they are brewing down there in Shiner, TX.  I would love to take a field trip there with my boy JT!!

New Belgium Snow Day Ale‏--JT's Review

I have always been forthcoming with the fact that I am a sucker for marketing, and a beer label is no different. With the weather getting cooler, I have been thinking about some heartier winter time beer. At Macadoodle's there other day, I saw Snow Day Ale. It has a picture of a nice warm house where they have to be snowed in. That's all it took for me.
 
The beer was ok. I am not a huge ale fan,(for whatever reason I keep trying to convince myself that I am?). It was pretty dark, and more hoppy than I usually like. However, there were enough brewing spices in there to dull the prevalent hoppy flavor to make it ok. I thought there was a hint of vanilla, but my neighbor Shawn pointed out that it was clove.
 
Not my favorite beer, but certainly not bad. If you are into ale's, go for it. I think you will like it.

Bohemia Clasica‏--JT's Review

photo courtesy of http://www.dailybeerreview.com/2011/05/bohemia-clasica.html

I saw the Bohemia Clasica for the first time the other day. It originated in Mexico, but it is brewed by FEMSA, the brewers of Heineken.

It poured with a nice golden color into a glass. The taste was smooth and sweet. There were several tones of malts, that finished with a light easy hop at the end. It was a little more like a brown ale, than a typical Mexican beer, but it did have that overlay of a good Mexican beer.

If you buy it, do not expect it to have the flavor of a Corona or Pacifico, but I do think that you will like it.